Hatori Sohma
Hatori Sohma is the Sohma family's personal doctor. He is the only known living Sohma family member with the ability to use the 'memory suppression' technique (a form of hypnosis used by the Sohmas to suppress the memories of those who discover their curse). Hatori is also the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. Appearance Hatori is very tall and rather slender. He always dresses professionally; he is rarely seen without a suit and tie. His eyes are green in the anime and purple in the manga. He has (mostly) short black hair, with the exception of his bangs which completely cover his left eye, possibly because of Akito's injuring his left eye, leaving him nearly blind in that eye. Tohru refers to him as "very handsome". In spite of his often somber expressions and curt gestures, Hatori has a very kind and gentle heart. His tragic history with Kana reflects this, as it gave him tremendous heartbreak that still affects him in the current story. Personality Hatori's personality is best described as cold; in the series they mention that he is like snow. Hatori lacks the ability to open up to others and is always quiet and calm. Hatori is a great contrast to Shigure and Ayame's playful nature, as Hatori himself is somber and stern. He also lacks a sense of humor, and tends to take everything seriously. Some people would look at Hatori and think he's scary. Story Overview History Hatori was born into a long line of physicians in the Sohma family. He didn't have a very warm home life; which is, perhaps, the cause of his stoic personality. He attended school alongside Ayame and Shigure; the three of them were known as the 'Mabudachi Trio'. When Yuki was young and ran into a girl while playing, he transformed in front of a group of children. Due to this, Hatori was forced to erase Yuki from the memories of the children. Although Yuki protested, as they were his first friends, Hatori had to follow orders. This caused their relationship to become strained; Yuki did not trust Hatori afterward. Hatori once had an assistant named Kana Sohma. The two of them spent a lot of time together, and eventually began dating. Hatori felt that Kana was the 'Spring' that melted the "snow" of his heart and believed that he had found true happiness with her. He decided to propose but after asking for permission to marry her, Akito refused and smashed a vase in his eye. The caused Hatori to become almost completely blind in his left eye. Kana blamed herself for his injury, and eventually became sick from the traumatic incident. She would break down into tears every now and then because of what happened. Hatori could not bear to see Kana in pain so he erased her memory and wished for her to find someone who would make her happy again. The two continued to work together until she had left the office and Hatori became distant again- due to losing the one he loved, and having to bear the pain alone. Hatori tries to prevent anyone else from being hurt like he was, so he is somewhat concerned about Tohru knowing about the Sohma family secret. He tries to convince Tohru to leave the Sohma house before Hatori is summoned to erase her memories. A Visit to the Cultural Festival Hatori's first appearance is during a visit with Momiji to Kaibara High School to examine Yuki, as he had been skipping his routine check-ups. Due to the dress Yuki was made to wear, Hatori had to get him to undress, leading other students to believe that they were a homosexual couple. Only after Yuki clarified that Hatori was a doctor and member of the Sohma family did the others begin to understand. Hatori then had Tohru called into the school's office to speak with him. There, he invited Tohru to his house so that they may have a longer, private conversation. Before leaving, he warns her to leave Shigure's home and get away from the Sohmas so that she does not get hurt. New Year When Tohru first sees Hatori transform, he realizes that her reaction was the same as Kana's was. Tohru and Kana both panicked at the sight of Hatori's true form and didn't know whether to put a seahorse in saltwater or fresh water. While Tohru went out to get hot drinks, Hatori saw Kana again, although she didn't seem to notice him. Hatori learned that Kana was going to be married; although he still loved her, he decided that he would be happy if she was with someone else. Hatori chose not to go to her wedding, fearing that his presence would cause her to have faint suspicions and memory relapses. Getting Mayuko and Hatori together Shigure arranged for Hatori to meet with Kana's best friend, Mayuko Shiraki, who had always secretly liked him. During Summer Vacation During Sumer Vacation, Hatori drove Shigure, Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru to the Sohma family's Lake House. After a few moments of relaxation had been spent, Ayame came to visit them on their vacation. During a conversation between the Mabudachi trio; Ayame mentioned Kana's wedding and claimed that Mayuko (Kana's best friend) gave him pictures of the wedding. He then asked Hatori if he would like to view them but he declined his offer. Ayame became upset by Kana's happiness and remarked that Hatori deserves to be much happier than her, as he was left to carry the burden of their lost love. The Broken Curse After the breaking of the Sohma family curse, Hatori appears to be dating Mayuko (Yuki, Tohru, Saki, Arisa and Kyo's homeroom teacher), and invites her on an Okinawa holiday. The Dragon of the Zodiac Although Hatori is the dragon of the zodiac, he transforms into an eight-centimeter long seahorse rather than an actual dragon. It is explained that in mythology, all dragons start out as seahorses, and only some gain the opportunity to ascend to dragon-hood. Shigure has stated that he believes it to be a sign that the curse is weakening. Hatori is extremely self-conscious about his transformation, and uses blackmail to avoid having it revealed to others. Gallery File:Hatori_Sohma_fruitsbasket_volume7.jpg|Hatori on the cover of Volume 7. File:Hatori.jpg|Hatori in the anime. fb6.png|Hatori smiling. fb7.png|Surprised Hatori. fb8.png|Hatori with his longer hair style. Hatori11.png Hatori1.jpeg Hatori2.jpg Hatori4.jpg Hatori16.png Hatori13.png Hatori8.jpg Hatori-Sohma-hatori-sohma-17303857-400-290.jpeg Trivia *Although Hatori's left eye is almost completely blind, he is rarely seen wearing glasses. *Hatori's car is that of a Western car (on the left) not traditional Japanese (on the right). *Both of Hatori's parents are deceased. His mother passed away from illness when he was in elementary school; his father also died of an unspecified illness while Hatori was in high school. *Hatori enjoys reading. *Hatori wears very expensive designer suits. This becomes evident in the manga, when Shigure borrows a suit from him to attend a parent-teacher conference. Upon returning the suit, Hatori tells him to burn it, Shigure is astounded by his remark and asks if he is really willing to surrender a ¥200,000 (approximately $2,500) suit. **However, it is noted that Hatori does not wear them due to preference, but rather because he finds them easier to wear without spending time deciding on an outfit. He lets his housekeepers pick them out. *It is revealed by Takaya-Sensei that the "memory erasing technique" was passed to him by his father who held that role before him, it was said by Hatori that there is no magic behind it and that it is more like hypnosis. This explains why the zodiac members try to avoid those who have been forced to forget about them, since there is always a chance that the memories can come back. Category:Sohmas Category:Mabudachi Trio Category:Cursed Sohmas Category:Males Category:Fruits Basket Characters